(Away from) Home for the Holidays

I like the weather here.  Except for a few days, the weather for the past three months we've lived here has been sunny and warm (low to mid 70s) during the day, sun up around 6am, sun down about 6pm, cooler in the evening and early morning hours.  That's nice. 

But....for a Midwestern girl, heading into fall without any cold weather, leaves changing, or frost is just plain weird. (Yes, technically it's spring here, since we're on the other side of the equator.  But I'm sticking with the seasons I know since there isn't much change here except that summer (Jan/Feb) is rainy season and apparently yukky.)

I tried to help by putting up a few fall decorations.  I made two of these felt leaf garlands. And while I was making them, it helped.  But putting up pumpkins and fall leaves when it's 70 degrees out just doesn't do a whole lot.  It seems like you're just pretending. 

I do love the hand sewn acorns and I look forward to putting this up in MN.

It didn't feel like Halloween, it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving is just around the corner, that it is less than one month to my birthday, or that Christmas is just over one month away.  In some ways, I feel like Groundhog Day...we wake up, we do the same stuff, and the weather never changes. I even pass the same people on the way to and from school....  :)

I am curious...what do other people who grew up with four defined seasons and now live somewhere with more temperate weather do to get into the holiday spirit?  I need some tips, people!  I love the holidays but this weird weather is throwing off my groove. 

We did get a couple of packages over the past couple of weeks that included pictures of our extended family.  I hung up a little picture gallery in our stairwell and I LOVE, love, LOVE seeing the family every day as I go up and down.  It's a little piece of home. 

My happy place.  Sometimes A sits on the stairs and talks to the pictures.

I miss being home for the holidays.  I'm sad I can't go shopping the day after Thanksgiving with my BFF.  I'm glad that we have some families to celebrate Thanksgiving with here and that I get to make the pies.  I'm glad that the holidays have a bigger meaning.  But I'm sad to be away from our norms (even the snow). 

Eat an extra piece of pie or whatever food makes the holiday special for you and give your loved ones an extra squeeze!

"Picado" does NOT mean "Fish"

From the Dave Files:

Scene from last week:

“I should try some fish for supper tonight.  Let’s see here… a number of options in this freezer case.  That one looks scary.  That one looks doable, but a lot of work… how about one without a head, tail and fins on it?  Oh, here’s one that’s already prepped – nice bite sized pieces… per usual, can’t tell what those other words mean, but ‘picado’ – fish, and the price seems reasonable… about s/15 a kilo – that’s just north of $2 a pound.  Let’s go with that for supper tonight.  Maybe Flor knows how to make this in some special Peruvian way.”

(rough idea of the conversation in my terrible Spanish)

D: “Flor, can you help me make this fish tonight?”

F: “What fish?”

D: “This fish.”

F: “No, that’s not fish, but it’s good.  I can help you.”

D: “What is it?”

F: (something I don’t understand)

Keturah: “I veto that.”

D: “Veto what?”

F: “It’s really pretty good.”

K: “Yeah, no way.”

D: “What is it?”

 

K: “That’s stomach – pieces of stomach.”

D: “Oh… not pescado?... Oh, it says ‘picado’… pieces… of something.”

K: “Yeah, no thanks.”

Needless to say, Flor’s dog had a special treat that night.

Ed. Note: Sorry I don't have a picture.  It was white stomach that did look a lot like fish.  Also, most of the fish here in the grocery store is on ice, with heads and tails still attached, but gutted.  I'm not sure if they do more in store when you select your fish or if you finish the preparations at home.

Further humor.  When my mom was in Peru 40 years ago as a missionary, she told people they needed to repent of their pescados (fishes); what she actually meant to say was they needed to repent of their pecados (sins).  Clearly, my family has a problem with the Spanish word for "fish."

Holiday Series: Halloween- the same but different

Growing up, Halloween was always a favorite of mine.  I'm sorry that I can't post a picture of me, circa 8th grade (since it's in MN and not accessible).  That was the year that I went dressed as the Hardin County Courthouse (and my brother was City Hall).  Yes, we made the costumes ourselves, out of cardboard boxes that we painted with bricks painstakingly hand-drawn.  I messed up a bit on the armhole placement, so I never quite managed to get my head all the way up the tower (my face was one of the clock faces).

Halloween was always about dressing up and using your imagination, not about scary things or gore.  I still hate scary movies and refuse to watch them.  Even suspense movies give me nightmares and I don't like murder mystery shows unless I know who dies and who did it in advance. 

So, with that background, we've been happy to let our girls experience the fun of dressing up and running around getting candy.  Here in Arequipa, there are some things that are much the same as Halloween in the states and some that are pretty different.  And a third category- "claim Halloween for yourself and make it awesome" that we were lucky enough to tag onto here.

Tinkerbell and our little Princess Pea

Girls at the beginning of the party in the park- the little cat kept trying to run away.

 Things that are the Same:

• Kids dress up in uniforms (very similar- mix of princesses, fairies, superheroes, cartoon characters, some "scary" things, esp. for older kids).
• Kids go out trick-or-treating.
• Kids love candy and sweets.

Trick-or-Treating in the mall

Once the kids figured out a store was giving candy, a whole group entered.

Things that are Different:

• Almost all costumes are rented, not purchased (and renting them is pretty spendy, compared to US prices and considering the average income here.)  We used dress up clothes we brought from home for both girls and I bought a wing kit downtown for M's costume.
• Trick-or-treating is mostly at businesses, not at individual homes.  If at individual homes, it's the decision of the neighborhood and (I think) done primarily for kids in that neighborhood and their friends.  We didn't hand out candy or have any trick-or-treaters.
• Businesses hand out mostly hard candy, with a few doing popcorn (not always in a bag- scooped out of a large bin), and some doing small crackers or cookies.
• Kids say "Sorpresa!" (Surprise!) and not "trick-or-treat" or the directly translated equivalent. But in practical experience, most of them just sort of went in, looked hopeful, and were either given candy or waved away by businesses that weren't handing anything out.
• A lot of employees had costumes, which isn't necessarily different, but the grocery store employees had MATCHING costumes....at Plaza Vea (kind of like a Super Target) all the men were dressed as cowboys, for example.

Trick-or-Treating in the mall

Some mall performers (hired by a store)

New thing that was really fun:

There are a lot of ecological, healthy-minded folks that  we've met down here. (Family, don't worry- I can still learn plenty of hippie tricks.)  One of them is wonderfully creative and inclusive and coordinated a kids party in mid-afternoon at the park near her house.  The parents all brought some kind of healthy treat, and the kids had a chance to run around the park, slide on the slides, and trick-or-treat around the park.  We had the cutest little pumpkin fruit cups, papaya/banana smoothies, glove "bags" of popcorn, healthy brownie bites, monster popcorn (with honey and spirulina (a kind of algae) sprinkled on it to make it green), and organic fruit. 

Her favorite treat- papaya/banana smoothie.

Super cute "pumpkin" fruit cups.

We went bobbing for apples (stems picked to be long and give the kiddos a chance to succeed) and it was such a treat to be able to let the kids eat whatever they wanted without worrying about it. 

M's first bob!

A thought apple bobbing was hilarious.

We had a great time out and about and enjoying the holiday experience in a new country.  The not so fun part?  Learning that today is a national holiday AFTER showing up to school with Miss M.  The custodian was at the gate and told me there wasn't any school today.  I had kind of wondered...because there was a school party last night, and often if the teachers work extra there is no school soon thereafter...but I had looked at her school calendar and in her homework notebook (where they have sent such notes before) and it didn't say anything about no school.  I think it's one of those things that everyone just "knows," except we don't.  So M, A and I got some quality bonding time this morning bussing to school and walking home.

Funny sight of the day...they put all the Christmas decorations
up at the mall this past week.  So the kids were in costumes
walking right by a giant Christmas tree and elves.

Halloween (that's this post)

Thanksgiving

Advent

Christmas

New Years

Easter

Mother's Day 

Who let the dogs out?

One thing I was a little concerned about in coming here was dogs.  I am not a big fan.  However, both girls are.  I have probably petted more dogs since Miss M was 1 year old than I did in the 20 years prior.  :)  I especially don't like jumping (on me) and licking, though I think dogs have a great place for those who love them, and especially admire service and companion dogs and the way they improve the quality of life for their owners.  (So if you are dog lover, don't take it personally.  Someone has to care for the animals.  I just hope it won't be me.)

At any rate, I knew there were a lot of stray dogs here, as well as rooftop guard dogs, and I was concerned about how they might interact with the girls.  There is a big difference between seeing someone in a US park and asking to pet their dog and having a stray come up to you in Peru. (At least that is what I thought coming in.)

I've been pleasantly surprised to find that although there are a lot of strays, they leave you alone and I have never felt that the girls or I were threatened when out and about.  Most of the time the dogs that wander the streets don't even bark at you or pay much attention.  In fact, the worst interaction happened when two tiny dogs decided to bark up a storm when we dared to walk on the sidewalk near their house.

All that said, here's a compilation of dogs we saw when out and about (this isn't even all of them and doesn't include pics of any rooftop dogs). 

Regular in the street dog.

This one scared A, even though it didn't do anything.  I think it was the size.

Big dog, but very friendly.

 

Little dog near our house.
 

A sign in the park reminding people to scoop the poop. I am not sure if the numerous poop piles
on sidewalks and roads come from mostly strays, or also from people who walk their dogs. 
I could have taken lots of pictures of piles of dog poop that no one has scooped,
 but I thought this sign was better.  You're welcome.  :)

 

Want to make a difference? The world of micro-loans...

One of the things that interests me is social justice.  I benefited greatly by the happenstance events that led to me being born to a Caucasian family in the United States.  Life wasn't always easy growing up with 4 (sometimes 5) kids in our house and money was pretty tight.  But we always had food (even if it was oatmeal suppers) and clothing (mostly hand-me-downs and garage sale finds), I always had a roof over my head, and we had love and a lot of fun.

Not everyone gets that chance.  One of my favorite MBA classes was on diversity, but the class touched on so much more than just racial diversity or gender diversity.  We read peer reviewed studies and delved into the dynamics of gender, race, religion, socio-economic status, age, and more.  I knew some things going into this class but the volume of things I read and the online discussions broadened my horizons and helped me further explore the white privilege I enjoy and the things that were handed to or available to me through no choice or impact of my own.

For example:

• I was born to people who highly valued reading and regularly read to me.  My mother was an elementary school teacher.  Through their sharing of books, I became an early-reader bookworm.  This undoubtedly impacted my ability to do well in school. 
• My parents also placed a premium on education and helped ensure that we had educational opportunities.
• I worked hard in school, did well on standardized tests, and earned scholarships that paid for almost all of my undergrad degree.
• Because my parents also valued savings and had experienced the pain of school loans, they set up a system whereby we kids saved 45% of our money for college.  (10% went to "Jesus money" and we picked where we wanted to give it, and the other 45% was for us to spend as we wished.)  This system meant I had $6,000 saved when I went to school.  After scholarships, I paid about $4,000 out of pocket for my four year degree, continued saving through school, and had more money in the bank when I left college than when I went in. 
• My employer paid for 80% of my MBA.

I'm not fool-hardy enough to think that I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps.  I did work hard, got good grades, and did well for myself.  But the seeds of that success (which also allowed me to get a better job and a much higher salary than just a high school education would have) came from others and things I had very little or nothing to do with.  They are also very tangibly demonstrated in the life I've lived and even the opportunity we now have to be living in Peru.

Which leads me to think about the people I interact with and see in Peru.  So many of them have more of a hand-to-mouth existence.  The minimum wage for empleadas is around $1.50 per hour, from what I've been told.  They don't have the same leg up that many of us have enjoyed.  (Despite the differences, I'm learning that Peru is a country with huge natural beauty and resources, lovely people, developing infrastructure, and hard workers.) 

One program I think is very cool is the CUDA microloan program (see microfinance FAQs).  You can lend as little as $25 and use your capital to give people a chance to help themselves as they pay back the money with their new success. When the loan is repaid, you can choose to reinvest your money in a new loan or get your money back.



Click here to see the graphic http://icdu.halcyonflies.com/resources/images/how-it-works/how-it-works_full_white.png

So since I have somewhat of a platform, I encourage you to think about the privilege you've enjoyed in your own life and challenge you to share the wealth- literally.  If you want to participate in this micro-lending program, check out the CUDA website.  I'm personally impressed by their focus on sustainable improvements and education.  They also have Peruvian leadership and United States partners. But this isn't the only thing you can do....see where you have enjoyed privilege and work to positively impact those who haven't enjoyed the same privileges that you have, wherever you are.

CUDA (click here to learn more about the organization):

Urban  Development as the Promotion of Total Wellbeing

The Christian Urban Development Association is a non-governmental, non-profit, faith-based organization that empowers vulnerable communities in urban Peru to overcome cycles of poverty. Our vision of  justice, wellbeing, and joy in the city leads us to promote physical, psychological, social, and spiritual wellbeing through projects in the areas of education, health, finance, and the environment.

Mission Statement
CUDA's mission is to promote holistic wellbeing among vulnerable urban populations. CUDA networks resources and carries out programs that empower sustainable improvement in individual, family, and community quality of life.

As an added incentive...Dave and I will match (dollar for dollar) any CUDA loans people make after reading this post up to $200 by making a micro loan of our own.  Because it's a microloan program, you should receive your money back. As with any loan, there is a chance of default (the compliance part of me feels like I should say this).  But, their repayment rates are high and the program has a proven track record. 

If you are interested in making a loan and qualifying for this "match," just send me an email or Facebook message on my Facebook page.  Thanks for considering this opportunity and know there is absolutely no pressure at all from me to do this; I won't think worse of anyone who doesn't make a loan. But I do hope that you take action to help resolve inequity wherever you might see it in your own sphere of the world.

Tutorial: Crossing the Street

There are certain things you take for granted in your life, like knowing how to cross the street.  Of course, anyone who has been around a child knows full well they don't take such knowledge for granted and you employ constant vigilance around roads, driveways, etc. until they start to catch on that you look both ways, hold the hand of the grown-up, and carefully walk.

It's not quite as simple here, because a lot of the crosswalks are unmarked, or people don't really pay attention to the lights, or it's just different than what we're used to.  We still look both ways, and we still pay attention to the lights, and we still grab the hands of our little girls. 

But we've also learned the value of what I will term the herd crossing.  When you need to cross a busy street, simply look around for someone else who looks like they are crossing.  I have learned that having a small child is a minor advantage, as cars and police officers will give you a slight preference.

WARNING: DO NOT GET SLOPPY.  Not everyone thinks your bambino is important enough to stop for, so constant vigilance is still important. 

 

Stand on the side of the road, looking to and fro, assessing the lights, when people seem to stop.  When the lead person steps off the curb, be ready.  Your time window is but short.  If you hesitate too long, another car will inevitably inch up and you'll have to wait for the next herd to assemble.  Inconspicuously attach yourself to the herd and you should be able to safely cross (and live to see another day).

 

Spiced Carrot Muffins (or Bread)

This won't be a recipe blog, but I wanted to share a delicious recipe that fits right into fall.  I found this recipe on Pinterest (of course!).  The blogger calls them Banana, Carrot, and Greek Yogurt Muffins but I think Spiced Carrot Muffins sounds tastier (and, now that I'm looking over her post, that's what Martha Stewart called them, too!)

I adapted them for high altitude by:

• Decreasing the sugar by 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Using pourable yogurt instead of Greek (we can't get Greek yogurt here and high altitude recipes need more liquid anyway)
• I made one batch decreasing the leavening by 1/8 t, one decreasing 1/4 t, and one just as is.  All turned out well.  So I think I will probably stick with decreasing 1/8 t.

I also mixed my own pumpkin pie spice (1T ground cinnamon, 3/4 t ground ginger, 1/4 t ground cloves). I would have added 3/4 t ground nutmeg to this mix but it wasn't at my spice store. 

Those of you dwelling at sea level or close can just make this according to the posted recipe.

My tips and observations after making this three times:

• A double batch works well in a 9x13 pan or the Pampered Chef stoneware large bar pan
• It cooks great as bars and I assume would also work well as bread (much less work than muffins in my opinion).
• I am going to put a little frosting on them for Mirabel's half birthday this week. Cream cheese frosting would be delicious!
• They taste sweet and delicious and the bread is very moist.  The pumpkin pie spice flavor makes these perfect for fall. 
• There is much less sugar in these than normal bread but they still taste sweet.  I did use plain yogurt but that has sugar here, so my version might be a bit sweeter than if you use plain yogurt without added sugar.
• I didn't put raisins in because I haven't bought any here and that didn't have any ill effects.
• I forgot to put my shredded carrots for one batch and they still turned out well...albeit more crumbly than when the carrots are baked in.

This is a new favorite fall recipe for me!